Fall Creek
by lyndsayjacksonnn
Summary: Fall Creek. A mysterious little town in a valley where no one knows. a place of wonder. A place where people get a second chance at life. And not just any people. people who have died. Claire Rixen, is a native of Fall Creek, a strong willed no nonsense girl who doesnt believe in love. But everything changes with the appearance of a tall red haired young man. (fred w/oc)
1. Chapter 1

It was raining the first day I ever saw him.

He was standing on the corner, his bright red hair plastered to his forehead and a filthy jacket around his shoulders. He looked confused. They always do when they first arrive. One of the kitchen boys ran out to grab him and pull him inside.

His eyes were wild, and he was clinging to the wall like he could be a part of it. He was pale, and he kept looking over his shoulder like at any second someone was going to jump at him.

"Sir?"

He looked at the kitchen boy; I think his name was Matthew.

"Sir what's your name?"

The tall red head merely stared at Matthew for a long moment before releasing a sob that rocked his body forward

"I don't know" he said "I don't know I don't know I don't know!"

He fell to the ground and brought his knees up to his chest. The tears flowed down his face in a steady stream and he hardly seemed to care. This was my queue.

"Hey, hey now" I said soothingly, dropping to eye level. His watery blue eyes looked up and stared into mine "it's alright to not know, it's normal, come on big red, and let's get you something dry to wear"

Reluctantly he stood up and followed me. We walked down a long corridor where the walls were glass panes. The rain spattered against the windows and I looked back at the red head, he was watching the rain drip down the glass with a vacant expression.

"Its rain, do you remember rain?" I asked softly

He shrugged and looked at me "I suppose I do"

I smiled and kept walking. My heart felt tight with sadness for the red. Like many and mostly all the people that show up at Fall Creek.

Fall creek is a tiny town of about five hundred people. It's nestled in the valley at the base of a mountain. No one can say for certain where it is located, what continent it resides in, or even if its part of this world. It's surrounded by large green fields and pastures, acres and acres of beautiful land. But on the outskirts of all that, lays a forest, dense and so dark that even on the brightest days no sun light shows through the tree tops. They say that the forest is the full of dark things and beasts. Not a child in fall creek grew up without hearing the warnings and myths of the forest from parents who heard the same stories when they were children. On the north side of town, by the base of the mountain is where the light forest sits. Its trees are old but almost inviting and warm, their branches seem to reach out and hint they want to embrace you. The sun filters through the tops and a creek runs through the middle down. This is where the name comes from.

No one knows for sure where the creek ends, but if you follow it up far enough you come to a large water hole. And from a ledge and cave within the mountain a waterfall gushes through with considerable force. The water is neither cold nor hot and the legend of the town is that the water has healing powers. On the full moon every month many people take a trip to the falls, and they pray to the magical water spirit that they believe keeps the town alive.

Magical water spirit I highly doubt. But magical forces are at work in the town I don't deny.

This is how we come to have people like the red show up.

Our town is a mysterious little place where people who died get a second chance at life. Everyone knows the way of the town and no one questions it. The ordinary town folk do shy away from the top of misty hill though; being near the people who pop up out of nowhere is a frightening experience for those who haven't been around it their entire life like I have.

Misty Hill, a large village in itself, just a mile or so west of the Falls, is where people get their second chance. They pop up and are always confused. Not knowing who they are, where they've been or how they came to be here. Scared and alone, damaged and sometimes severely broken, and almost always mentally unhinged. They come as they were when they passed. No one knows exactly how it happens; no one knows where they show up from. The more morbid people try and remember if they'd been buried and simply dug themselves out of the graves; though I more like to think that they simply appear and have never been buried. It is more likely, since the families are made aware that they will be getting their loved one back. After they have fully been rehabilitated of course.

And when that day comes, the said loved one is escorted back to wherever it is that they come from and that is the end of that. Not another thought or word is given to that person. It is forbidden.

Our job on misty hill is to bring the person back to full potential. We guide, coach and re-teach until he or she is able to fully remember who they are, where they lived and how their life is meant to be. Of course no one will ever be truly the same after something like dying. But they can regain a sort of normalcy that will help them on their way. That is the only job that we do, getting personally attached to these people is highly forbidden.

There was a scandalous case where one of our workers had fallen in love with one of the re-lifers. Such a stupid thing to do in my opinion, I don't believe in love. Being orphaned, abandoned and having to make it on my own, even in a small nice town like Fall Creek, it changes a girl. I've seen them silly girls from town swooning after the boys, and I've seen many a heart break with the games that have been played. Only fools fall in love. And even bigger fools fall in love with re-lifers.

When a re-lifer is ready to go back to their world, that is the end of it. They disappear with a small group of misty hills top workers and only the workers return. From there we have no communication, no way to know where, how and what the re-lifer is doing. And it is expected that we shouldn't care to know. That we should forget that they ever stood on our ground, they never existed. And that was the way it was for years until that scandal. A higher up worker had a re-lifer assigned to her, she coached him, guided him, learned about him and fell in love. Then came the return day, the dreaded return day. Return days aren't scheduled. When the council deems someone fit to return home, without warning they are gathered up and ushered without another word, back to their old life. Basically all of the re-life people don't have any ill feeling about the day. Most look forward to returning to how their life was and don't think to look back. Of course there are some cases where friends are made and it leaves a gloom on the hill for a few days before the workers finally accept the fact and move on like the rest of us. It's unknown whether or not the re-lifers remember life on the hill after they return home, one older worker told me once that they wipe their memories before sending them off. But I highly doubt that to be true, where would we get that kind of power? I often wonder if they miss this life. But then I move on like the rest.

For this woman the return day was the end of her world. Literally. They say that when the re-lifers are taken back to their lives, the dark forest is the way they take. I don't know much about the forest, but I do know that nothing good comes from within. Maybe it's the old silly superstitions of the older town folk, but it's the only myth that I take seriously. Maybe it's the way the shadows seem to be alive within the darkness that keeps me far away from the forest. Either way, you just don't go into the forest, because chances are you won't come back.

The woman, on the day of her lovers return, ran into the woods and was never seen again. They say on windy nights if you listen hard, you can hear the screams of the woman.

Again. Love is for fools.

My name is Claire Rixen, and this is my story.


	2. Chapter 2

The rain was still falling hard when I came to the center office with big red. Not knowing his name was difficult but nicknames were easy. Probably not wise but easy to remember; he didn't seem to mind. An old woman sat in the center of the dark circular office. Cross legged on a pillow with candles burning around her. They say she was some kind of witch. It was probably true, she was creepy enough. He grey eyes were the color of the storm clouds outside and her hair, white as snow curled around her waist, like a snake. Her name was Amelia, and she had been at the village for as long as I could remember. Whenever there was a new re-lifer, you brought them to Amelia. And from there she would determine where and to whom the re-lifer was assigned.

"Claire my dear" Amelia spoke without even opening her eyes, which if im being honest always freaked me out.

"Miss Amelia, I've brought you a.."

"Yes yes child, come" she motioned for us to sit, we sat.

"I should let you two do your thing" I said trying to scoot out of the room

"Not so fast Claire, this one is yours"

That stopped me in my tracks. I had never been given a re-lifer. Not one all to myself that is. I have always helped in the process of other peoples. I was never given the chance to be a guider. I was to young and never deemed fit by the higher ups.

"Your time has come, and he is the way. Your destinies shall be intertwined, he will not make it without you and you won't see without him"

Her eyes were glossed over and she was clasping her hands together like they were keeping her steady. I had no idea what that meant, I could see just fine. I glanced over at big red, he was curiously watching Amelia and when his blue eyes shifted to mine he shrugged and made a funny face.

Odd. Very very odd.

When Amelia jerked back to herself she looked at me and then at him and smiled a knowing smile.

"go now, you've much to do"

"but you didn't tell me what the guidelines are!" I said, jumping to my feet, the guidelines were important, the most important path to get a re-lifer back

"young man, will you wait in the hall please" she said calmly

I watched big red stand and without a word walk to the hall, closing the door behind him.

"Claire this is important" Amelia said as soon as the door was closed. Her intensity frightened me.

"what is" I asked slowly

"he is" she pointed to the door "the most important guideline child, is there are NO guidelines with this re-lifer"

I was shocked. I literally felt the need to scoop my jaw off of the floor.

"but Amelia…"

"no, no questions, I have seen the path Claire." She smiled at me "and you will know all the answers when the time comes, now go"

With that, she closed her eyes and no more was said. As I left the room and watched big red rise from his seat on the floor I reflected to myself that the was by far the strangest thing I had ever seen.

"well, that was fun" he said with a huge grin

I raised an eyebrow. For someone who had so recently been crying on the ground, he seemed to collect himself and his humor nicely.

"fun?" I asked "that woman freaks me out"

He laughed, and I found myself smiling. His mood was infectious, and it was strangely appealing.

"so as much as im enjoying standing soaked to the bone, in a freezing hallway outside the door of a mad woman, is there any place we could possible sit and just maybe could I get a change of clothes?" his smile was warm but I noticed for the first time that his body was shaking.

"Oh! Of course! Follow me"

I awkwardly passed by him and started down the hall once more. I could hear him softly humming behind me and it made me curious to what he was like before he came here. At first the re-lifers are a toned down version of who they were before they came to the hill. And once they start to remember their life and themselves you see them blossom into the bright person they were. Big red was already shining in his toned down state and it was rare that I had ever seen someone so full of life so early.

I guided us down different hall ways until we got to the re-lifers wing. I stopped at a large desk where a friend of mine, lucas, was tossing paper balls into the trash can.

"don't miss" I said as he tossed a ball. It bounced off of the wall and back to his feet.

"that's rude" he spun in his chair with a lazy smile on his face. His mop of brown hair hung in his brown eyes "I would have made that"

"no, you wouldn't have" I said "anyway, we've got a new re-lifer here"

I gestured to big red

"oh, hey man it's a pleasure to meet you, what's your name?"

Big red shrugged "that is a wonderful question, no one can seem to give me an answer to that yet" he smiled wide and shook Lucas's hand.

"that's the spirit!" Lucas laughed and hauled up a large rucksack "I had a note sent that you two would stop by, this is for you" he tossed the bag to big red, and then slid a paper over to me

"whats this?" I asked, looking at the little folded white sheet

"dunno, boss man said to give it to you"

Boss man's actual name was Mark. The head of Misty Hill and a sort of father figure to me. He found me when I was a little girl and raised me here on the hill.

I opened the paper and quickly scanned the writing

_Congrats on the first assignment. Don't mess it up kiddo_

_ -M_

I glared at the paper. I wouldn't mess this up. I looked up and Lucas was holding two sets of keys. He handed them both to me.

"what?" I asked

"You're a guider now, you have to stay close to your re-lifer, your room is across the hall from his, through this door and up to the third floor, last doors on the left." He said this with a wink and continued his paper tossing

"But my stuff?"

"Already there cupcake" he laughed "you two don't be too loud, put a pillow on her head to cover the moa.."

"ALRIGHT MOVING ON" I said quickly, pushing red through the door and glaring at Lucas as he laughed behind us.

"I quite like him" Red said with a grin

I said nothing but felt my cheeks go red

"You're blushing" his fingers touched my cheek and I felt a little shock run through my body, I looked into his blue eyes and shook my head.

I backed into the wall and he gave me a funny look.

"u-uhm, come on"

As we made our way up the stairs and down our hall to our doors, I tried to swallow down the feeling that things were going to be different around misty hill. And as I looked over my shoulder to see red disappear into his room, I knew that whatever changes were coming would be centered around him.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning as Red and I sat in the now sunny outside courtyard I thought about the night before and frowned.

"You should smile more" red mused, popping a bit of candy in his mouth and then leaning back on his elbows.

"I smile all the time" I said defensively "besides you've known me not even a full day, how do YOU know that I don't smile?"

He stared at me for a moment then a light hearted grin spread across his face.

"I suppose you're right." He paused and let the sun rays warm his face

I watched him carefully. Studied the way he sat, the way he fidgeted every so often. The sun was shining making his red hair gleam in a fascinating way. His cheekbones and jaw structure were very masculine and defined, even with the slight bruising. Probably from whatever he was doing when he passed. His body was lean and his legs seemed to go on for miles.

"You're staring at me" he said without opening his eyes

I blushed fiercely and looked at the grass

"No I'm not"

His blue eyes were amused as he took in the last bit of the red in my cheeks.

"Your face tells a different story." He rolled onto his side and propped his head up on one arm.

"So I figured we should start with the guiding." I said quickly, changing the subject

He grinned but said no more.

"So uh...I figured we could try and start with uh...memories." I had no clue where to even begin.

I had never had a re-lifer to myself. Of course I've seen guiders work before and I knew the proper ways, but I was never taught. And another problem was what Amelia had said about no guidelines. How would I even know what sort of question to ask or more important, what not to ask to soon?

His good humored face darkened a bit as he stared at the ground. His shining eyebrows pulled together as he concentrated and then finally he blew a large breath out and frowned. When he looked up at me he smiled softly but it didn't reach his eyes.

"That's very tough," his voice was strained "I know they're there, I can feel them. It's like there is a part of my head that has been closed to me. A wall that I'm hitting"

"That's alright," I said excited "at least we know there's something there right?"

Again his smile didn't reach his eyes "I suppose"

Again I watched his struggle and frowned.

"Is this a part of your guidelines" he asked me suddenly

"Uh…no" I said and glared at the sky

"No?"

"She didn't give me any"

"Is that normal?" he said amused

"Uh…no, not really."

He laughed and I turned my glare on him

"im sorry, you just seem like the type of girl who needs something to follow." He flopped onto his back and put his hands behind his head "I can tell you one thing I remember"

"How to be annoying?" I muttered

"Close," he said with a flirty wink "but more that I never followed rules, if anything I feel like I would have been…more of a prankster, if you will."

A warm smile lit his face. I found myself smiling with him. And then I stopped and realized how absurd I was being.

I sat up straighter and cleared my throat. I needed to be professional.

"Is this a feeling?" I started "something your inner self just knows?"

He snorted and looked over at me "inner self eh?"

I waited patiently, fighting the need to smack him.

"I guess you could say that," he finally mused; his face serious as he turned his eyes toward the sky "I wouldn't know how to fully describe it. The first thing I remember was sitting in this very grass," his fingers absentmindedly stroked the soft green under him. "I opened my eyes and stared through the rain to the building in front of me. I didn't know where I was and what frightened me most was that I didn't know who I was."

His fingers clenched into a tight fist. The skin of his hand turning even whiter as it stretched over his knuckles. He closed his eyes and clamped his mouth shut into a thin line. I watched his struggle silently. What could I say to even be remotely comforting to this stranger? What would he want to hear from a strange girl he met only hours before, in a strange place, with no memory of whom he was or why here was here? His posture didn't change but he opened his eyes again and sighed.

"can I ask you something?" his voice was thick with and emotion I couldn't figure out

"Sure" I said slowly

"Claire…it is Claire right?" I nodded and he continued "What is this place? Why am I here? What happened to me?"

His large bright blue eyes stared so intensely into mine that I lost my breath and couldn't find my words momentarily.

"Th-this place, it's called Misty Hill," I began "it's on the outskirts of a small town called Fall Creek. What we do here is help people like you to…remember who they used to be, so that they can return to themselves." I stumbled trying to accurately describe what the function of Misty Hill was; most people didn't usually react well to hearing they died. "As to what happened to you, well Red, that's what we are going to find out. Only you know."

His eyes didn't leave mine and he spoke in such an even voice it unnerved me. "It was bad."

I didn't know what to say, my mouth opened but I closed it again

"What happened to me was bad, wasn't it?" his voice was almost a whisper now and I could clearly hear the sound of anguish "don't tell me, I'll figure it out."

He closed his eyes and heaved a massive breath. I swallowed down the need to reach out and touch him. That shocked me, for I had never been the type of girl who needed nor gave affection in any form. When helping a re-lifer I was usually very professional and uninvolved emotionally. Hell they were all going to leave eventually so why bother getting attached? So I was very taken aback by my sudden swell of emotion for this strange and frustrating young man.

I watched him a while more. He sat there and was so still and so silent I thought he had fallen asleep under the warmth of the sun. I nearly jumped out of my skin when his voice broke the silence.

"Claire?" he spoke so softly I had to lean down to hear him. I met his eyes again and my breath caught "I'm glad I was assigned to you."

My heart thundered. It pounded as though it might burst from my very chest. His eyes held mine and then when he finally closed them again I found myself staring at his face.

What was he doing to me?


	4. Chapter 4

Days passed and it seemed I was getting nowhere closer to helping red, though he didn't seem to mind it too much. In fact as I grew more irritated by our lack of progress he seemed to become even more annoyingly content. He adapted to life on the hill so quickly you'd have thought he had been here his entire life. His nickname stuck with him, and as days turned into weeks everyone knew him as red. Being friendly and having a great sense of humor made him easy to be around. Well, some times.

"Red!" I huffed for the tenth time this morning

"Yeees?" he replied, drawing out the e's in the way he knew I hated

"Will you please focus here? Do you want your memories back or not?" I Snapped

He chuckled as he swung his legs over the branch of a tree and hung upside down.

"Of course I do!" he gracefully flipped backwards and landed in front of me "But they'll come to me when my 'mind is at the happiest of all'!" he mimicked Amelia and twirled his fingers in the air

He had been going to see Amelia every Thursday at 2 for the past two weeks, along with his Monday sessions with Madeline Worthington, the daughter of mayor of Fall Creek. The mayor also happened to be on the council of Misty Hill, he was Mark's boss. Madeline really had no business being on the hill or helping anyone with memory loss. A tall blond with ice blue eyes and expensive clothes her father had imported from god knows where. Perfect nails and teeth and everyone tripping over themselves to be around her, she was fall creek royalty. She didn't care about anyone but herself, if she could marry herself I'm sure she would. Every now and then when she saw someone she wanted shed bat her eyelashes and tell her father and shed get it. And of course when she laid her perfectly eye shadowed eyes on Red, it was only a day until she got a session with him every Monday. I had never gotten along with Madeline, probably because I wasn't rich or snooty, or perhaps it was because I didn't feel the particular need to worship her existence.

"Well then make your mind," I started "and me for that matter, very happy and focus! We have twenty minutes left before your session with Madeline."

"Ah yes, the lovely Madeline" He grinned and winked at me

I glowered and scribbled furious circles in my notebook. Of course he thought she was lovely. Every male in town thought she was. I had never taken any notice nor cared about what they thought about her. I never found myself jealous that I never got any attention. I mean considering she was a blond bombshell and I was well, me. My long dark brown hair fell to my elbows always tangling and looking rather unkempt. I never wore makeup apart from a thin line of black eye liner and mascara so my eyes had at least some definition. Being amber brown they seemed rather dull to me. Not to mention I hardly ever wore clothes of bright colors or clothes that looked expensive. Black jeans and grey v neck and some sandals and I was set. So again I never gave any thought to it, she was beautiful and girly, I was average and plain.

"Are you jealous" Red asked amused

"Of course not!" I snapped looking up at him with a glare

But was that true? Was I jealous? I would deny it if anyone asked, just as I had with red. But to be honest with myself I might have been a tad jealous. Red was a very attractive guy, you'd have to be blind and stupid to not admit that. But perhaps I was jealous that Madeline was taking my time with him, because I wanted to help get his memories back. Yes, that's why. I think.

"Alright C" he had taken to calling me C, which I didn't particularly like but he refused to call me anything else.

He was grinning and about to say something more when a high pitched voice called out his name

"RED!" Madeline skipped up to his side wearing shorts much too short and a top that literally should have been her skin.

"Hello Madeline" Red gave her a crooked smile and she flirtatiously placed her hand on his arm

"You're early" I snapped,

She turned her ice blue eyes onto me and gave me a sly smile

"Oh am I?" She shrugged and flipped her golden hair "I suppose I'm just excited to make more progress with Red"

"More progress?" I asked, confused

"Didn't you tell her red?" she said with fake shock

"Tell me what?" I snapped glaring at them both

"We think we know what his name started with!" she exclaimed and clung to his arm smiling up at him

I had to fight back the appealing image of me punching her in the mouth. Anger filled me. And I wanted nothing more than to snatch Red back and make him tell me everything he remembered if I had to beat him with a stick.

"And what was that?" I managed to get out through clenched teeth

"O" she said with a smile "I figured it out really"

Red's face darkened and he frowned. Which gave me relief, he didn't believe it either.

"How wonderful" I smiled to brightly and Red grinned

"Anyway, I hope you don't mind me taking him away now?" Madeline was already dragging Red away from the tree and up to the rose garden

I simply watched, slightly amused and slightly annoyed.

"One of these days that girl is going to get a solid punch in the mouth I feel." Lucas's voice made me jump

"I feel you are correct in that assumption good sir" I smiled and linked my arm through his

"Shall we proceed to get some food my lady?" His playful tone helped lift me from my anger

"We shall!"

All through lunch with Lucas I silently fantasized about ways to 'accidentally' make Madeline's face connect with my fist.

"How's he doing?" Lucas asked around a mouth full of his pizza

I sighed and picked at my potato salad

"Good I guess," I looked out towards the rose garden, I couldn't see them and I huffed "He's so frustrating Lucas! He won't be serious for one minute, how am I supposed to help him find his memories if he won't focus?"

"I feel like being serious isn't really in his nature" Lucas grinned and sat back in his chair

"You've got that right" I said moodily

"So use that" Lucas said with a shrug

I stared at him and cocked my head

"How would I use that?"

"Well we all can see that he's a fun guy, flirty and likes a good joke," Lucas scratched his head "So go with it, joke with him, be flirty, it might trigger something."

I just stared at him. I was gripping my fork so tightly my fingers were going white.

"Flirt?"I said in shock "I am about as flirty as a cobra Lucas."

He laughed and gave me a grin "oh come on Claire, he's a good looking fella it shouldn't be that hard."

"That hard?!" I snapped "Lucas, I don't flirt. I don't believe in flirting or romance or anything like that, people who do are idiots and should be locked away somewhere. Nothing good comes from love."

He shook his head and sighed "Oh Claire"

"And besides" I said quietly "What makes you think he'd even be interested in me?"

A grin split Lucas's face and he shook his head again "You really don't see it do you?"

"See what?" I asked confused

"The effect you have, how beautiful you are."

I made an incredulous face and he burst out laughing

"Do you think you get your way so easily because of your shining bubbly personality?" he asked with a cocked eyebrow

"I don't get my way" I mumbled embarrassed, his praise made me feel awkward and uncomfortable

"Oh yes you do," he chuckled and then his eyes darted somewhere behind me "but we will finish that conversation later, you have some flirting to do."

I spun around and spotted red making his way over to our table. When he saw me, a heart stopping smile lit his face and he quickly hurried over.

"Blimey that was awful" he said as he dropped into the empty chair next to me

"I bet dude, what did you talk about this time?" Lucas kicked me under the table

I jumped and squeaked, earning a strange look from Red

"Well, she commented about how the sun looks in my hair," he stopped at winked at me "Which is fabulous by the way."

I rolled my eyes and snorted

"And then she proceeded to talk about how it almost looked better than her hair, and that is a big almost apparently."

He shrugged and took my slice of pizza

"Hey!" I snapped trying to grab it back

"You weren't eating it" he grinned and wolfed down half of it before I could protest

Annoyance bubbled up and I huffed. Lucas smiled at me and kept darting his eyes between the two of us.

"Do you always have to be so annoying?" I snapped at them both and they laughed

"Of course" Lucas said

"Certainly, it's the highlight of my day to make you annoyed miss Rixen" Red batted his eyes at me and I had to look away. It did funny things to my breathing.

"Well" I mumbled "you succeed"

I opened the book next to me and tried to block out the boys as they chatted about trying some new sport that Lucas had made up.

"You ALWAYS read" Lucas groaned "No fun at all."

"You're just like Hermione" Red rolled his eyes then froze

Lucas and I stared at him silently and I finally made myself speak

"Who is Hermione?"

"I-I can't be sure" Red turned wide blue eyes onto me "I just remember brown hair and eyes, very smart, always reading, brightest of her age. She was important to someone close to me…that's all I remember."

a happy grin split Red's face and I felt my own lips turn up as well.

"That's wonderful Red" I said softly, placing my hand over his on the table "You remembered that"

His eyes softened and he cupped my hand in his large own "YOU helped me remember that."

I couldn't breathe momentarily, I was caught in his gaze and it wasn't until Lucas cleared his throat that we both sprung apart and focused again.

"That's amazing man!" Lucas grinned at me while talking to Red

After lunch Red and I tried every possible thing to help him have another flash back, another glimpse of a memory. Nothing came of it, and I could see his disappointment that night as we walked back to our rooms for bed.

"Hey," I said softly, placing my hand on his arm "You remembered something, that's a start. We'll get them back, I promise."

He looked down at me and smiled softly. He patted my hand and nodded.

"Goodnight C"

As he disappeared into his room I stood in the hallway. I stared at his door for a while before slipping into my room and crawling into bed. As I curled up in my covers, I thought about the sadness in Reds eyes. And I realized that underneath that frustrating, humor filled face of his, he was miserable and frightened. My heart ached at that realization. And it was then that I vowed I would do everything I could, everything. Red would remember, if it was the last thing I ever did.


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning I woke up earlier than usual and tried to make an effort in my appearance. Lucas had said that the things that spoke to Red most would probably be jokes and girls. I frowned when I looked at myself in the mirror. My dark hair was a messy mop and my eyes were dropping from sleep. I quickly dashed into my bathroom and ran the water for a shower. While the water was getting hot I dumped out all the makeup products I had (which let's face it was about three things) and then pulled out my hair dryer and straightener. I then hopped in the shower and let the hot water cascade down my back. After washing my mess of hair and scrubbing down my body I jumped out and wrapped myself in my fuzzy towel. Makeup and hair I wasn't worried about. Clothes were another thing completely. I rummaged around in my closet until I found some clothes that would do that job. A tight pair of dark blue waist high skinny's, a red low cut v neck that hugged my figure and a pair of black flats.

After I got through the tangles in my hair, dried it and straightened it, I slapped on some makeup and looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like a girl. Which considering I am one and that's what I was aiming for, I was quite proud. But also mortified. As I stepped out of my room and into the hall way. Three of the girls that I had known forever stopped and stared.

"Wow, Claire" a pretty half cast girl whose name was Zayna smiled. "You look great!"

"Oh, um, thanks" I mumbled "Figured I'd try something different."

Zayna smiled and looked over at Reds closed door. "hmm, well yes, different is good"

She shot me a wink and then disappeared down the hall.

I made my way down to the mess hall and tried to ignore the stares of the people around me. Was it so odd that I wanted to look like a girl today? Yes. Yes it was. I caught Lucas's eye and he jogged over to me.

"Wow, Claire you're a girl!" He smiled approvingly

"Really? I had no idea" I snapped irritated

"I see you're taking my advice!"

I blushed and looked away. He grinned and patted my back.

"You like him hu?"

"NO" I said defensively and stomped off to grab breakfast. My mood didn't seem to be dampening the general shock at finding out I could look pretty considering people still talked to me. I was contemplating running back to my room and changing when I spun around and almost ran into red.

"why are you in such a hurr…" Red's sentence stopped short when he really got a look at me

His eyes slowly traveled up and down taking in every bit of me. I swallowed nervously and mumbled and awkward hello

His eyes finally came to a rest on my eyes, and his expression made my heart skip beats.

"You look wonderful"

A blush and a slow smile crept onto my face and had to swallow a coupled times before I could manage any words

"Should we go sit down?" I said, stuck in his gaze

He blinked a few times and then nodded slowly. It wasn't until I moved that he seemed to regain his usually composer and walk beside me.

"So what on the agenda for today?" he asked, studying his sausages intently.

"Well I figured we could um...Take it as it comes?" I said slowly, watching his eyes flash up to mine and then shyly away

"Meaning?" he asked

"Well I figured that I've been to hard on you and that we should just let your mind unfold when it's ready too, because I think that would be best…" I said it all very fast, making him grin in the way that always made my breath catch.

"Excellent" he said, meeting my eyes and grinning. "There's something I want to show you."

I frowned and suspiciously went along with it. I'm sure whatever he had to show me would be against the rules and possibly something we would get in trouble for.

"Don't worry" he said laughing "It's not bad"

"How did you know I was thinking that?"

"I've been here a month today C" he said shaking his head "I've spent basically every waking moment with you, I've got a pretty good idea about how you think."

His blue eyes burned into mine and I think I stopped breathing all together. Lucas's words suddenly flashed through my head like a broken record '_you like him hu?' _

I blushed and looked out the window where the sun was starting to shine warmly. "are you ready?"

"Yes" he said softly, rising and taking both our trays to the bin. When he returned he waited for me to get up and then we led me out side. We were headed to the rose garden and when we got there he stopped so suddenly I ran into him. I was about to protest when I heard Madeline's voice.

"Oh red! I didn't know you were coming to see me, couldn't stay away hu?" She purred

A flare of jealousy hit me so hard I almost lunged for her. Red shifted uncomfortably and politely mumbled a greeting. Madeline's eyes shot over to me and narrowed. I was instantly defensive.

"And what are you up to then?" she asked with acid in her voice. She took in my attire and made up appearance and then looked at red. A slow, sly smile grew on her face as she realized the purpose. I was flushing fiercely and terrified shed out me but Red grabbed my arm and smiled at Madeline.

"Oh you know, we're working on my memories. C really is wonderful at helping me"

I thought Madeline might explode. Her face turned an odd shade of purple as Red waved a quick goodbye and tugged me along behind him.

"Oh thank Merlin for that" He exclaimed once out of ear shot "I thought we'd have to suffer more stories about her nails."

"Who's Merlin?" I asked amused

He looked at the sky and then grinned "well I don't know but I remember I used to say that quite a lot."

I smiled again "You remember that!"

He grinned and then happily grabbed my hand. "Come on C, you really must see this."

I stumbled along behind him as he took me down a little hill and up into the woodsy area behind Misty Hill.

"Where are we going?" I wheezed and he chuckled

"We're almost there, just a few more minutes!"

When I felt like I was going to fall over from exhaustion Red stopped and spun around to face me.

"Are you ready?" He asked, excited and somewhat nervous

I nodded and curiously tried to look around him.

"Then walk though there" he pointed to a wall of vines that hung from the rocky ledge above. I cautiously proceeded and pushed through the vines. On the other side I emerged in to a large damp tunnel. Water drops glistened and slid down the walls. At the end of the tunnel I could hear the gentle lapping and tumbling of water. Curiosity took over and I slowly made my way to the mouth of the cave. The sight before me took my breath away (something that had been happening a lot lately). A beautiful pond sat before me, surrounded by old and graceful willow trees. The grass was startlingly green and looked as fluffy and smooth as a pillow. The water itself was clear as glass and beautiful multi color fish darted here and there. I stepped out on the stones that led down to the grass like stairs and looked up in awe. The walls surrounding the pond were stone and raised high above our heads. Across them were vines swirling in beautiful patterns that seemed to go on endlessly. A small waterfall fell from one of the walls and formed a stream that gushed over rocks and down into the pond.

"Do you like it?" Red's voice was soft as he spoke from right behind me.

"It's beautiful" I breathed and I turned around to stare into his eyes "When did you find this?"

He shrugged and gave a guilty smile "about three weeks ago I couldn't sleep." He guided me down into the grass where we sat in the warm rays of the sun.

His eyes and face had taken on such a serious look and I didn't dare interrupt.

"I woke up in a cold sweat, from a night mare full of screaming and flashing lights and things I don't even know exists." He frowned "So I got up and slipped out side and just started walking. I didn't know where I was going and I was sure I'd get lost but I didn't care at the time. I just had to be away from that dream and the room."

I watched him silently, seeing the pain and struggle finally escape the good humored mask he always wore.

"I kept walking until I stumbled upon this place" He looked around and smiled "the moon was shining and I could see everything so clearly it was beautiful and it's like I forgot all about the dreams. I sat right here and just listened to the sound of the water and the animals and finally I relaxed." He closed his eyes and sighed "I let my mind go free but all I could think about was y.."

He stopped suddenly and smiled shyly "Uh, never mind."

I looked at him curiously but didn't press.

"So you like it?"

"I love it Red" I smiled warmly and he blinked a couple times.

"Tell me about you" he said so suddenly it startled me

"What do you want to know?" I asked slowly

"Everything," his gaze was so intense I couldn't look away "I don't know who I am, where I come from, or what happened to me, tell me about your life, it will give me something to know."

I looked at him for a long while before I finally let my walls down and let him in.

"My name is Claire Alexandra Rixen," I started slowly "I can't say that my life has been the best and I'm not sure it will give you the satisfaction you need."

He nodded for me to go on. So lord help me, I went on.

"My mother abandoned me when I was young, very young. No one has seen or heard from her since then. My father, well I never knew my father, no one ever talks about who he was… I was alone and on the streets at 5 years old."

I stared at the grass and swallowed back memories I wish I could forget.

"That was when mark found me; he took me in and gave me a home, given it was a room at misty hill surrounded by strangers, but it was a bed, shelter and food. He became my sort of father. I grew up learning the ways of guiding; I grew up learning that people come and people go and no one I've ever gotten attached to sticks around forever.

I got good at helping, I became a helper and I moved up ranks through the hill. I went to school but I wasn't very popular or liked. Most the kids stayed away from the creepy loner orphan from the hill. But I learned to ignore them and I graduated at the top of my class and I never got in trouble."

"What about boy friends?" Red asked amused

"What boy friends?" I laughed "romance was and never has been an interest to me" I shrugged and watched his face turn curious

"You've never liked anyone? Been attracted to someone?"

"Liked someone? No, but sure I've been attracted to guys before" I laughed shyly and looked at the pond "I just don't see the point in giving your heart to someone who is going to break it and leave you high and dry in the long run."

"That sounds very lonely" Red said softly

I looked at him and then down at my hands "It can be, but its better this way."

"What if it doesn't have to be this way?" he leaned closer to me, his face inches from mine

"B-but it's all I've known" I stammered "everyone hurts you in the end."

"I wouldn't hurt you Claire." His voice was a whisper, and I shivered in longing as he spoke my name.

His hand slowly wound around my waist and pulled me even closer. His breath tickled my lips and I shivered and he ran his fingers up my side and over my collarbones. His eyes burned into mine and I wanted to dive into their depths and get lost in the blue. A little frightened part of me was whimpering to pull away and hide, to run away now. But a bigger, braver part of me was urging me to stay where I was and let it happen. My heart was hammering in my chest as he slowly lowered his lips. Just as they were about to reach mine a bird screeched over head making us both jump. With the mood broken I slowly slid back from Red, he watched me and his eyes darkened. He looked away and cleared his throat.

"We should, we should get back." He stood up and helped me to my feet.

The walk back we were silent and I couldn't help but think about what had happened. I scolded myself for letting it get that close, but more so I hated myself for not embracing him, grabbing his face a kissing him until I passed out. He didn't touch me again as we came back to the hill. He made a few comments and then we went to find lunch.

A couple days passed and Red seemed to be back to normal. Neither of us mentioned the almost kiss though I'm positive that's all we thought about while with each other. I vividly remembered the hurt and rejection on his face when I slid away from him and I didn't know how to make that right. But there was one person who did.

I needed to find Amelia.


End file.
